In it, MSU officials say there has “never been an on-field issue” with MSU’s 100-yard pregame walk at Spartan Stadium in the 12 years coach Mark Dantonio has used the tradition. It is meant to represent the phalanx formation historically credited to soldiers from Sparta in the 8th Century B.C.

The statement, issued from football sports information director Ben Phlegar, reads: “Regarding last Saturday’s pregame timeline, both teams were distributed pregame timing sheets and were in communication earlier in the week about Michigan State’s pregame tradition of walking the field upon arrival to Spartan Stadium. There has never been an on-field issue with this tradition in the 12 years under head coach Mark Dantonio. The timing of Saturday’s pregame tradition did not change from previous games, nor did the communication change between both schools. MSU was scheduled to leave the Kellogg Center for its walk to the stadium at 9:45 a.m. and left at 9:47 a.m. The team was scheduled to arrive at Spartan Stadium at approximately 10 a.m. and walked the field at approximately 10:02 a.m. As a courtesy, Michigan was granted field access before MSU’s arrival with the understanding from both sides that the U of M student-athletes would leave the field during this tradition. Michigan was on the field prior to 10 a.m. as previously agreed upon, but when multiple MSU staff members asked both U of M student-athletes and staff members to please move off the field for the pregame field walk, this did not occur.”

On Monday, Harbaugh told reporters he called MSU last week to see when the Spartans would do their pregame walk so that U-M wouldn't be on the field.

"We were aware they did a traditional walk and we contacted them. They send us a book, pregame operations, the most detailed and finest I've ever seen. Has everything in it in writing. But that part was not. So we called them and said 'what time are you guys doing your walk, we don't want to put our players out until you do your traditional walk,' " Harbaugh said. "They gave us a time. 'It'll be at 9:45 (a.m.).' Said OK, great.' Then, 'well, it might be 9:55, now it is going to be 9:55 a day later.' That walk happened another 10 minutes after that. At no point was there any kind of heads up or, 'hey could you guys please leave the field.'

"Their strength coaches were out there leading it, their assistant coaches were out there," Harbaugh said. "Coach Dantonio was right behind it. That had all the earmarkings an evidence of an orchestrated, stormtrooper march. But I think that's (something athletic director) Warde (Manuel) will address."

On Monday night, Manuel released a statement that said, in part, "I had a conversation on the field with Michigan State (a)thletic (d)irector Bill Beekman prior to the game regarding the situation that occurred during pre-game warmups. My preference is to keep that conversation and any further discussions between us. I will work with our staff and the conference to see how this situation can be prevented from happening in the future."

The Spartan Walk – which is in public and weaves past fans and tailgaters – begins at the team hotel along a walking path, then crosses over a bridge behind Kellogg Center past MSU’s soccer, baseball and softball fields behind Jenison Field House. It continues around The Spartan statute on Kalamazoo Street, then bends down Red Cedar Road and turns right into the stadium parking lot. Players then file through the tunnel on the north side of Spartan Stadium into the end zone.

According to an interactive MSU campus map, the walk is 0.7 miles and takes approximately 15 minutes.

The Spartan Walk is separate from the team’s pregame tradition on the field inside the stadium, which is closed to the public. This is when the confrontation between U-M and MSU players happened.

A Free Press photo shot with a 10 a.m. time stamp showed approximately eight Michigan players scattered across the field warming up individually along with a number of the team’s support staff at various yard lines. The Wolverines had been stretching and jogging individually for about 10 minutes prior to that picture and were not in full uniform.

MSU players about to show up for their pregame walk on Spartan Stadium. Michigan players warming up. Should be interesting. pic.twitter.com/XLRr2ZSneo

The Spartans’ support staff were arriving to the field via the tunnel in the Free Press photo. MSU players wore helmets and gray sweatsuits on their walk to the stadium. The Spartans’ outfits for the pregame walk to the stadium often vary, from suits to warmup attire and occasionally with helmets.

Players lined up along the back of the north end zone, linked arms and began to walk the length of the field at 10:02 a.m. per a timestamp on a Free Press video that shows the confrontation with Michigan players Lawrence Marshall, Devin Bush and Lavert Hill.

The Free Press video and on-field video from Fox Sports showed both Bush and Hill had to be restrained by members of Michigan’s support staff from chasing the line of MSU players to the south side end zone.